This application claims the priority of German application 196 52 715.5-21 filed in Germany on Dec. 18, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a holding arrangement for the operating element of a telephone or a mobile telephone, such as the telephone receiver with the dialing keyboard or the handset, for installation in a vehicle.
In the case of a known holding arrangement of this type (German Patent Document DE 93 12 439 U1), the holding body is formed by the container lid whose swivelling axis aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is defined on the upper edge of the container which is in the front in the driving direction. The receiving device for the operating element is arranged on the bottom of the container lid such that in the offered position, in which the container lid is folded from the container toward the front at an obtuse angle, the operating element projects out of the container lid and can be gripped in a comfortable manner. In the removed position, when the telephone is not in use, the container lid is folded onto the container and the operating element is disposed in the closed container.
An armrest is also known which is arranged between two front seats of a passenger car (German Patent Document DE 4340516 A1), which consists of a center part and side parts on both sides, in which case the center part is swivellably disposed in the forward end area about a horizontal axis with respect to the side parts on both sides and can be moved between a position in which it is folded out toward the front and a position in which it is folded in toward the rear. On the side which faces away from the upper armrest surface, the center part is used for receiving a telephone.
It is an object of the invention to provide a holding arrangement for the operating element of a telephone or a mobile telephone of the initially mentioned type which can be universally installed in a space-saving manner in all vehicle types; after the installation in the vehicle-side container, still leaves usable free space in the container, and is distinguished by a high operating comfort.
This object is achieved according to the invention by *
The holding arrangement according to the invention has the advantage that, when the telephone is not in use, the holding body with the operating element of the telephone or mobile telephone rests in its removed position on the base of the container and thus the container space situated above it can still be used for other depositing purposes and, when the telephone is used, the holding body in its offering position offers the telephone operating element to the user in an easily gripped position. The utilization of the container interior in the removed position of the holding body can take place, for example, in that the container lid is provided with a closable depositing tray which, when the container lid is folded onto the container, dips into the free container interior above the holding body. The carrier, and here particularly the carrying plate to be fastened on the bottom of the container, is designed to be connected to the vehicle, that is, adapted to the dimensions of the containers existing in the various vehicle types, so that the universal usability of the holding arrangement is ensured. The fastening of the carrier on the container bottom also contributes to keeping the free space which is still usable of a volume which is as large as possible.
Advantageous embodiments of the holding arrangement according to the invention with expedient developments and further developments of the invention are described herein.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the holding body is loaded by a driving spring in the swivelling direction to its offered position and, in its removed position, is locked by means of a locking device against a swivelling by the driving spring. The locking device is preferably constructed such that, when the holding body is moved into its removed position, it automatically locks this holding body. Because of the construction of this locking device as a so-called touch system, the locking can be released by a slight pressure on the locked holding body. These constructive measures as well as a provided locking of the holding body in its offered position, ensure a high operating comfort when using the telephone or the mobile telephone.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding body consists of a carriage bed and a sliding carriage which is longitudinally guided in it and on which the receiving device for the operating element is arranged. By the pulling-out of the sliding carriage, the use of the telephone or mobile telephone can be improved, particularly when the position of the driver seat or front passenger seat is adjusted toward the front.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.